Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) confirmed Monday that he’s throwing his hat in the ring to become the Senate Republican leader once Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) steps down.
Thune, the Senate minority whip, shared the news with KELO-TV in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
“Well, I hope to be, and I’m going to do everything I can to convince my colleagues,” Thune replied when asked if he was gunning for the leadership position. “They’re the voters. They’re the ones who ultimately make the decision. But that, as we look at a new generation of consistent, principled, conservative leadership in the United States Senate that empowers our Senate Republicans, that puts a [check and balance] against ... what has been the, a very liberal Schumer/Biden agenda, I’m prepared to lead that effort,” referring to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and President Joe Biden.
His announcement comes days after 82-year-old McConnell, the longest-serving Senate leader in history, said he’ll step down in November and leave office when his term ends in January 2027.
“One of life’s underappreciated moments is to know when it’s time to move on to life’s next chapter. This will be my last term as Republican leader in the Senate,” an emotional McConnell told his colleagues Wednesday.
Thune has served in the Senate since 2005 and has been the Republican whip since 2019. He was a vocal opponent of efforts by former President Donald Trump, the likely GOP nominee in this year’s presidential election, to overturn the 2020 election results.
Trump’s plot to overturn Biden’s victory would “go down like a shot dog,” Thune said at the time, adding, “I just don’t think it makes a lot of sense to put everybody through this when you know what the ultimate outcome is going to be.”
Thune is the second senator to formally confirm plans to seek the role. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas informed his colleagues last week that he also intends to go after the job, saying, “From experience, I have learned what works in the Senate and what does not.”
John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) is also expected to announce plans to seek McConnell’s leadership post.